


Star Spangled Man With A Plan

by Arnaa



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Epic Bromance, Gen, Non-Linear Narrative, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-08
Updated: 2016-10-08
Packaged: 2018-08-16 01:11:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8080909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arnaa/pseuds/Arnaa
Summary: Steve knows he's naïve and prone to giving people the benefit of the doubt when he really shouldn't.  He also knows those two things mean people he should have been able to trust assume he can't tell when he's being manipulated by their lies and half-truths to keep him in line with their agenda.While he struggles to adapt and learn the skills he needs to survive in this new century, Steve lets that assumption stand. Until the one lie he can never forgive sets him on a collision course with everything he once stood for.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't usually like reading non-linear narrative and using that format for this story is basically an experiment to see if I can write it. 
> 
> Inspiration came from several sources: Episode 02X14 (Love in the Time of Hydra) of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. reveals Steve spent time in isolation at a S.H.I.E.L.D. "retreat" (a.k.a. place where you must rely on us to provide even the most basic of needs and which you can't leave until we allow it) after he was thawed out. Yeah, not Stockholming him at all with that. 
> 
> Apparently, there's also a deleted scene from the first movie where Steve tries to deal with his sense of loss and isolation by visiting retirement homes and talking with people of his own generation. I can't find a copy of that but add that to [ this discussion with Peggy](https://youtu.be/DG_bk2LXCLw) plus this [creepy little fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7928752) and my brain threw out this plot bunny.....

"Agent Romanova."

When he slid into the chair on the opposite side of the café table, Natasha didn't startle only because that reflex had been trained out of her many years ago. 

"Captain America."  She set her cup on its saucer and stilled when the red laser dot appeared on her shirt precisely over her heart.

"Bucky's understandably annoyed with you at the moment, but he won't pull the trigger without my signal." His face shifted to its trademark painfully earnest I-really-don't-want-to-do-that-but-I-will-if-I-must expression.  "So let's not make me do that and ruin the day for all these nice civilians, okay?" 

Right. Because a bullet through her heart wouldn't ruin her day at all.  "What do you want?"

"I thought I wanted to know why, but now I'm here I realise why doesn't matter."  A hard, bitter laugh escaped him.  "The first thing Bucky did when he broke his programming was try to find me.  Fury must have thought all his Christmases had come at once when he got to him first."

"Steve, the Winter Soldier isn't the friend you grew up with-"

" _Don't call him that!_ "  Retribution burned in that voice.  "All Bucky wanted was to come home and Fury told him I wouldn't even see him.  But hey-" and here he dropped into an imitation of Fury that would have her in stitches under different circumstances- "'if you're a good little soldier, one day you'll earn enough redemption through being the Fist of S.H.I.E.L.D. for him to forgive you.'  And you were right at Fury's side the whole time, using me to control Bucky while you pretended to be my friend and told me nothing."

"No matter how much you want it to be otherwise, your friend is gone. He's never going to be anything other than a weapon.  It was the best option short of putting him down."  

"So, no regrets then."  He slid a manila folder across the table.  "When you've read that, I hope you still feel it was worth what it's going to cost you."

She glanced at the file and when she looked back up he was already gone. 


End file.
